Auction News

June '08

Feature Article from Hemmings Classic Car

Wild and Woody
Even the pre-war car hobby isn't immune from fads and fashion, and for 2007 and 2008, the words "barn find" have been enough to set auction bidders' paddles blazing.
A glance at the Ford woody offered at Alderfer's January sale in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, wouldn't have suggested that it would turn into a spectacle, but the fact that they had more than 50 cars straight out of 30 years of storage in an actual barn brought over 500 people out to bid from 18 states, hundreds of offsite bidders and at least as many to spectate.
After all the cars, and hundreds of lots of spares and automobilia crossed the block, the top seller was the Ford wagon, which in dilapidated but original condition brought $47,300, including fees. That's a price which suggests a full restoration is around the corner, rather than a future as a street rod. Contact: www.alderferauction.com.
Raleigh Rambler
Auctions America has only been operating their Raleigh Classic for a couple of years, but they're already starting to look like serious contenders. More than 300 cars should be on hand for their June 27-28 auction in North Carolina this year, and their proximity to unsalted roads means a great selection of rust-free local cars will be on hand. However, one of the most charming is anything but local, which in this case is good news. Any 1950s wagon is a rare sight these days, but this may be the only completely unrestored 1957 Rambler wagon on the planet. Fresh out of Arizona, the perfect low-mileage beauty sports a three-speed manual, luggage rack and whitewalls, and is sure to be a hit on the next Chrome Glidden tour. Contact: www.raleighclassic.com.
Givenchy
Everything about late-model, full size Lincoln Mark Vs is stately: Their looks, their performance and their performance in the market. Special editions, like the Designer series, have always brought a premium, but when that designer is Givenchy and the style is distinctly disco-era, it's something of an acquired taste. All that makes a car like the 1979 Mark V, which sold for $4,500 at the Palm Springs auction in late February, look like a very good deal. We think it had a single repaint, but is otherwise original, and as sold was priced at least 50% under the market for a strong #3 car such as this. Hemmings is currently full of low-mileage original 1978 and 1979 Mark Vs, but top models are heading above $20,000, which means that second-rank cars such as this will be in demand next. Contact: www.classic-carauction.com.

This article originally appeared in the June, 2008 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.